Biden targets Trump's legacy with first-day executive actions
(CNN) President Joe Biden is finalizing 17 executive moves just hours after his inauguration Wednesday, moving faster and more aggressively to dismantle his predecessor's legacy than any other modern president.
Biden is signing a flurry of executive orders, memorandums and directives to agencies, his first steps to address the coronavirus pandemic and undo some of former President Donald Trump's signature policies.
"There's no time to start like today," Biden told reporters in the Oval Office as he began signing a stack of orders and memoranda. "I'm going to start by keeping the promises I made to the American people."
With the stroke of a pen, Biden has halted funding for the construction of Trump's border wall, reversed his travel ban targeting largely Muslim countries and embraced progressive policies on the environment and diversity that Trump spent four years blocking.
Biden also reversed several of Trump's attempts to withdraw from international agreements, beginning the process of rejoining the Paris climate accord and halting the United States' departure from the World Health Organization -- where Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, will lead the US delegation.
His first action was to impose a mask mandate on federal property, a break in approach to dealing with the pandemic from Trump, who repeatedly downplayed the virus. Biden also installed a coronavirus response coordinator to oversee the White House's efforts to distribute vaccines and medical supplies.
Press secretary Jen Psaki and other top Biden officials had told reporters on the eve of his inauguration that the first-day actions are only part of what will be a series of moves to undo Trump policies and implement Biden's campaign promises in his first weeks in office.
He plans to follow Inauguration Day by centering each day of January on a specific theme, according to a draft of a calendar document sent to administration allies and viewed by CNN.
Thursday, Biden's first full day in office, will be focused on the coronavirus pandemic, and Friday will highlight Biden's push for economic relief -- including executive orders restoring federal employees' collective bargaining rights and directing agency action on safety net programs, including Medicaid and unemployment insurance.
The themes next week will be "Buy American," with a Monday executive order beefing up requirements for government purchases of goods and services from US companies; equity on Tuesday, coupled with a push to eliminate private prisons; climate on Wednesday with an executive order kicking off regulatory actions reestablishing the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and combating climate change; health care on Thursday, a day on which Biden will rescind the so-called Mexico City Policy blocking federal funding for non-governmental organizations that provide abortion services; and immigration on Friday, when Biden plans to sign executive orders focused on border processing and refugee policies and establish a family reunification task force.
February will focus on what's identified in the calendar document as "restoring America's place in the world."
Here's a look at the 17 actions Biden took on his first day in office:
NEW DELHI: For the first time in the US history, more than 20 Indian-Americans have either been appointed or nominated to be part of the US government with as many as 17 of them in key positions. 3 Indian-Americans have also made their way to the crucial National Security Council of the White House, leaving a permanent imprint on the country's foreign policy and national security.
Here is a list of Indian-Americans announced to be a part of the Biden-Harris administration:
Neera Tandon: Nominated as the Director of Management and Budget, a high-ranking position in the Biden administration. The 50-year-old Indian-American headed the think tank Center for American Progress.
Dr Vivek Murthy: Nominated US Surgeon General.He had previously served as the surgeon general in the Obama administration. He will also chair Biden’s COVID-19 task force.
Vanita Gupta: Nominated as Associated Attorney General of Justice. She previously served as the head of the civil rights division in the Obama Administration. Biden had described Gupta as one of the most “respected civil rights attorneys in America.
Uzra Zeya: Nominated as Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, an important position in the State Department. Zeya is of Kashmiri descent and was formerly the CEO of The Alliance for Peacebuilding.
Mala Adiga: Appointed as Policy Director to First Lady Dr Jill Biden. Her family is originally from Kakkunje village in Udupi district, Karnataka.
Garima Verma: Named Digital Director of the Office of the First Lady. She had served on the Biden-Harris campaign as an audience development and content strategist. She’s also worked in film and entertainment, including Paramount Pictures and ABC Network.
Sabrina Singh: Named White House Deputy Press Secretary. Previously, she had been the press secretary for Vice President Harris during the 2020 election campaign. On Wednesday, she tweeted that she was holding her first press briefing as part of the administration.
Aisha Shah: Partnerships Manager at the White House Office of Digital Strategy. She is a Kashmiri origin Indian-American and grew up in Louisiana.
Sameera Fazili: Deputy Director at the White House National Economic Council. She reportedly was part of the anti-India protest that took place in the United States after the abrogation of Article 370. She is of Kashmiri origin and had previously worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Bharath Ramamurti: Deputy Director of White House National Economic Council for financial reform and consumer protection. He previously served as an aide for Senator Elizabeth Warren and on her presidential campaign.
Gautam Raghavan: Appointed Deputy Director in the Office of Presidential Personnel. He was previously the Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. According to his Twitter bio, he is an immigrant and a naturalised citizen of the country.
Vinay Reddy: Appointed Director of Speechwriting. He is originally from Telangana in Pothireddypeta in Karimnagar district. He served as Biden’s speechwriter during his second term as vice president, and is the first Indian American to be appointed a presidential speechwriter.
Vedant Patel: Assistant Press Secretary to the president. He served as a senior spokesperson on the Biden-Harris inaugural committee, and had also served on Biden’s primaries campaign. He has also worked for Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Mike Honda.
Tarun Chhabra: Senior Director for Technology and National Security
Rohit Chopra: Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Sumona Guha: Senior Director for South Asia
Shanthi Kalathil: Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights
Sonia Aggarwal: Named Senior Advisor for Climate Policy and Innovation in the Office of the Domestic Climate Policy at the White House
Vidur Sharma: Appointed Policy Advisor for Testing for the White House COVID-19 Response Team
Neha Gupta: Appointed Associate Counsel to the Office of the White House Counsel
Reema Shah: Deputy Associate Counsel to the Office of the White House Counsel
Indian village cheers for Kamala Harris before swearing-in as US Vice President
THULASENDRAPURAM, India — People in a tiny Indian village surrounded by rice paddies flocked to a Hindu temple, burst crackers and uttered prayers Wednesday hours before its descendant, Kamala Harris, takes her oath of office to become the U.S. vice president.
Groups of women in bright saris and men wearing white dhotis thronged the temple with sweets and flowers, offering special prayers for Harris’ success.
“We are feeling very proud that an Indian is being elected as the vice president of America,” said Anukampa Madhavasimhan, a teacher.
The ceremony in Thulasendrapuram, where Harris’ maternal grandfather was born about 350 kilometers (215 miles) from the southern coastal city of Chennai, saw the idol of Hindu deity Ayyanar, a form of Lord Shiva, washed with milk and decked with flowers by the priest. Shortly after, the village reverberated with a boom of firecrackers as people held up posters of Harris and clapped their hands.
Harris is set to make history as the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to hold the vice presidency. What makes her achievement special in this village is her Indian heritage.
Harris’ grandfather was born in Thulasendrapuram more than 100 years ago. Many decades later, he moved to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state. Harris’ late mother was also born in India, before moving to the U.S. to study at the University of California. She married a Jamaican man, and they named their daughter Kamala, a Sanskrit word for “lotus flower.”
In several speeches, Harris has often spoken about her roots and how she was guided by the values of her Indian-born grandfather and mother.
So when Joe Biden and Harris triumphed in the U.S. election last November, Thulasendrapuram became the center of attention in entire India. Local politicians flocked to the village and young children carrying placards with photos of Harris ran along the dusty roads.
Then and now, villagers set off firecrackers and distributed sweets and flowers as a religious offering.
Posters and banners of Harris from November still adorn walls in the village and many hope she ascends to the presidency in 2024. Biden has skirted questions about whether he will seek reelection or retire.
“For the next four years, if she supports India, she will be the president,” said G Manikandan, who has followed Harris politically and whose shop proudly displays a wall calendar with pictures of Biden and Harris.
On Tuesday, an organization that promotes vegetarianism sent food packets for the village children as gifts to celebrate Harris’ success.
In the capital New Delhi, there has been both excitement — and some concern — over Harris’ ascend to the vice presidency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invested in President Donald Trump, who visited India in February last year. Modi’s many Hindu nationalist supporters also were upset with Harris when she expressed concern about Kashmir, the disputed Muslim-majority region whose statehood India’s government revoked last year.
When President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Wednesday, he’ll take the oath of office while standing on the very steps that were overrun by a violent mob of Trump supporters just two weeks earlier. Right-wing extremists online are plotting ways to repeat their assault on the U.S. Capitol, potentially on a much larger — and far more deadly — scale.
Concerns over another insurrectionist attack have led to a substantial increase in security precautions ahead of the inauguration — an event that already has a massive security footprint in a typical year. A 7-foot-tall fence topped with razor wire has been erected around the Capitol. The area around the National Mall will be locked down in the days leading up to the event. More than 20,000 National Guard troops have been brought to Washington D.C., giving the nation’s capital the appearance of a “war zone.”
Despite credible threats of another attack, Biden and the inaugural committee have no intention of canceling the outdoor ceremony. “I am not concerned about my safety, security, or the inauguration.” he said. Plans for Biden to lay a memorial wreath at Arlington National Cemetery after he’s sworn in are still on, as well. Security concerns did, however, prompt the president-elect to abandon plans to ride an Amtrak train to his inauguration.
Why there’s debate
Even with the extraordinary level of security that will be in place for the inauguration, some still fear it may not be enough. Government forces will certainly have the firepower to hold off an extremist militia, but the failure of Capitol Police to prevent a violent pro-Trump mob from overrunning the building last week has raised questions over whether communication and logistical blunders might once again leave lawmakers at risk. Others worry that some members of the security teams may secretly support the insurrectionists' agenda.
While the risks of extremists actually disrupting the ceremony are incredibly small, it’s unwise to create even a tiny chance that it may happen, some argue. There are also concerns that a failed attack, even one that is stamped out easily, would become the lasting memory of Biden’s inauguration.
Many security experts argue that fears of a repeat of the violent assault on Congress are exaggerated. The security measures that will be in place for the inauguration — planned across a variety of government agencies — dwarf the comparatively small Capitol Police force that was overrun last week.
On top of stepped-up security, Biden’s decision to significantly strip down inaugural events makes this year’s ceremony even easier to secure than a typical inauguration, experts say. Others argue that it’s important to send the message that extremists won’t be allowed to interfere with the rituals of American democracy. "I think we cannot yield to those who would try and make us afraid of who we are," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said.
Perspectives
Security at the inauguration will simply be massive
“To compare the security footprint of even a ‘normal’ inauguration to what was in place ahead of the violence in the Capitol on Jan. 6 … would be to underestimate the sheer scale of an event like the inauguration and the confidence of Washington in at least some of its own systems.” — Ruby Cramer, Buzzfeed News
There’s no reason to provide insurgents with a target
“The Secret Service and the military take the lead for security during the inauguration, and they won’t let rebels storm the Capitol a second time. But a public ceremony still gives the mob a target for its ire, and that imperils local residents, everyday visitors and Biden supporters who might also be in town.” — Michele L. Norris, Washington Post
Coronavirus mitigation measures double as security measures
“Biden’s team was already planning a scaled-back inauguration because of the coronavirus and has encouraged his supporters not to attend the ceremony in-person. … That might make for an easier security situation—officers won’t have to worry about bad actors in a crowd of hundreds of thousands or more people, as in the past.” — Cameron Joseph, Vice
Security forces have shown they can’t be trusted
“Law enforcement is spoiled. It is compromised. I do not question its capability to defend the government from armed attack by a rabble of white people—I question its commitment to do so.” — Elie Mystal, The Nation
Social media crackdowns have made it hard for extremists to plan an assault
“Calls for armed marches in the week leading up to the inauguration have been circulating, but the digital chaos of the past few days has made organization less clear. ... While committed followers have found refuge in many alternative platforms, including Gab, Clouthub, Telegram, and others, a coordinated movement for action has not yet emerged.” — Jen Golbeck, Wired
Even an attack that was easily thwarted would be a victory for extremists
“We’re capable of securing the inauguration from any threat of any magnitude. … What I’m concerned about, it seems to me if the inauguration is outside we end up with the likelihood of a provocation … that will be humiliating and embarrassing globally.” — Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, MSNBC
Canceling the inauguration would mean letting the extremists win
“The images of thousands of armed soldiers patrolling the streets of our capital are jarring, even heartbreaking. But the show of force is necessary in the wake of the insurrection in the halls of Congress. There are legitimate concerns that the threat is far from over. The nation and the world need to see the free and fair election of Biden accepted and recognized without further disruption or violence.” — Editorial, Houston Chronicle
Pageantry shouldn't take priority over safety
“If it’s safest to inaugurate Biden and Harris in an underground cavern, let’s do that. Safety has to come first.” — NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss
Other targets, like state capitols, are much more vulnerable to attack
“We will not see a major incident. They will lock down the Capitol. If there’s anybody in the pipeline right now preparing an attack at a state capitol ... you’ve got an FBI that’s absolutely loaded with case leads right now.” — Security expert Clint Watts to The Hill
"The past four years have been unforgettable," the First Lady said. "As Donald and I conclude our time in the White House, I think of all of the people I have taken home in my heart and their incredible stories of love, patriotism and determination."
"Be passionate in everything you do. But always remember that violence is never the answer, and will never be justified," she said.
@Run 森林 RUN!!!!! Her horrible Slovenian accent notwithstanding, Melania somehow has that classy albeit innately vicious Claire Underwood vibe about her.
TRUMP WILL BE BACK ON MARCH 4!
Biden targets Trump's legacy with first-day executive actions
(CNN) President Joe Biden is finalizing 17 executive moves just hours after his inauguration Wednesday, moving faster and more aggressively to dismantle his predecessor's legacy than any other modern president.
Biden is signing a flurry of executive orders, memorandums and directives to agencies, his first steps to address the coronavirus pandemic and undo some of former President Donald Trump's signature policies.
"There's no time to start like today," Biden told reporters in the Oval Office as he began signing a stack of orders and memoranda. "I'm going to start by keeping the promises I made to the American people."
With the stroke of a pen, Biden has halted funding for the construction of Trump's border wall, reversed his travel ban targeting largely Muslim countries and embraced progressive policies on the environment and diversity that Trump spent four years blocking.
Biden also reversed several of Trump's attempts to withdraw from international agreements, beginning the process of rejoining the Paris climate accord and halting the United States' departure from the World Health Organization -- where Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, will lead the US delegation.
His first action was to impose a mask mandate on federal property, a break in approach to dealing with the pandemic from Trump, who repeatedly downplayed the virus. Biden also installed a coronavirus response coordinator to oversee the White House's efforts to distribute vaccines and medical supplies.
Press secretary Jen Psaki and other top Biden officials had told reporters on the eve of his inauguration that the first-day actions are only part of what will be a series of moves to undo Trump policies and implement Biden's campaign promises in his first weeks in office.
He plans to follow Inauguration Day by centering each day of January on a specific theme, according to a draft of a calendar document sent to administration allies and viewed by CNN.
Thursday, Biden's first full day in office, will be focused on the coronavirus pandemic, and Friday will highlight Biden's push for economic relief -- including executive orders restoring federal employees' collective bargaining rights and directing agency action on safety net programs, including Medicaid and unemployment insurance.
The themes next week will be "Buy American," with a Monday executive order beefing up requirements for government purchases of goods and services from US companies; equity on Tuesday, coupled with a push to eliminate private prisons; climate on Wednesday with an executive order kicking off regulatory actions reestablishing the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and combating climate change; health care on Thursday, a day on which Biden will rescind the so-called Mexico City Policy blocking federal funding for non-governmental organizations that provide abortion services; and immigration on Friday, when Biden plans to sign executive orders focused on border processing and refugee policies and establish a family reunification task force.
February will focus on what's identified in the calendar document as "restoring America's place in the world."
Here's a look at the 17 actions Biden took on his first day in office:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/executive-actions-biden/index.html
OH NO! BIDEN'S CABINET KENNA CECA-ED!
NEW DELHI: For the first time in the US history, more than 20 Indian-Americans have either been appointed or nominated to be part of the US government with as many as 17 of them in key positions. 3 Indian-Americans have also made their way to the crucial National Security Council of the White House, leaving a permanent imprint on the country's foreign policy and national security.
Here is a list of Indian-Americans announced to be a part of the Biden-Harris administration:
Neera Tandon: Nominated as the Director of Management and Budget, a high-ranking position in the Biden administration. The 50-year-old Indian-American headed the think tank Center for American Progress.
Dr Vivek Murthy: Nominated US Surgeon General.He had previously served as the surgeon general in the Obama administration. He will also chair Biden’s COVID-19 task force.
Vanita Gupta: Nominated as Associated Attorney General of Justice. She previously served as the head of the civil rights division in the Obama Administration. Biden had described Gupta as one of the most “respected civil rights attorneys in America.
Uzra Zeya: Nominated as Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, an important position in the State Department. Zeya is of Kashmiri descent and was formerly the CEO of The Alliance for Peacebuilding.
Mala Adiga: Appointed as Policy Director to First Lady Dr Jill Biden. Her family is originally from Kakkunje village in Udupi district, Karnataka.
Garima Verma: Named Digital Director of the Office of the First Lady. She had served on the Biden-Harris campaign as an audience development and content strategist. She’s also worked in film and entertainment, including Paramount Pictures and ABC Network.
Sabrina Singh: Named White House Deputy Press Secretary. Previously, she had been the press secretary for Vice President Harris during the 2020 election campaign. On Wednesday, she tweeted that she was holding her first press briefing as part of the administration.
Aisha Shah: Partnerships Manager at the White House Office of Digital Strategy. She is a Kashmiri origin Indian-American and grew up in Louisiana.
Sameera Fazili: Deputy Director at the White House National Economic Council. She reportedly was part of the anti-India protest that took place in the United States after the abrogation of Article 370. She is of Kashmiri origin and had previously worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Bharath Ramamurti: Deputy Director of White House National Economic Council for financial reform and consumer protection. He previously served as an aide for Senator Elizabeth Warren and on her presidential campaign.
Gautam Raghavan: Appointed Deputy Director in the Office of Presidential Personnel. He was previously the Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. According to his Twitter bio, he is an immigrant and a naturalised citizen of the country.
Vinay Reddy: Appointed Director of Speechwriting. He is originally from Telangana in Pothireddypeta in Karimnagar district. He served as Biden’s speechwriter during his second term as vice president, and is the first Indian American to be appointed a presidential speechwriter.
Vedant Patel: Assistant Press Secretary to the president. He served as a senior spokesperson on the Biden-Harris inaugural committee, and had also served on Biden’s primaries campaign. He has also worked for Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Mike Honda.
Tarun Chhabra: Senior Director for Technology and National Security
Rohit Chopra: Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Sumona Guha: Senior Director for South Asia
Shanthi Kalathil: Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights
Sonia Aggarwal: Named Senior Advisor for Climate Policy and Innovation in the Office of the Domestic Climate Policy at the White House
Vidur Sharma: Appointed Policy Advisor for Testing for the White House COVID-19 Response Team
Neha Gupta: Appointed Associate Counsel to the Office of the White House Counsel
Reema Shah: Deputy Associate Counsel to the Office of the White House Counsel
LMFAO Trump left a note for Biden in the Oval office.....
Biden's foremost task at hand after being sworn in: SPRING CLEANING!
Indian village cheers for Kamala Harris before swearing-in as US Vice President
THULASENDRAPURAM, India — People in a tiny Indian village surrounded by rice paddies flocked to a Hindu temple, burst crackers and uttered prayers Wednesday hours before its descendant, Kamala Harris, takes her oath of office to become the U.S. vice president.
Groups of women in bright saris and men wearing white dhotis thronged the temple with sweets and flowers, offering special prayers for Harris’ success.
“We are feeling very proud that an Indian is being elected as the vice president of America,” said Anukampa Madhavasimhan, a teacher.
The ceremony in Thulasendrapuram, where Harris’ maternal grandfather was born about 350 kilometers (215 miles) from the southern coastal city of Chennai, saw the idol of Hindu deity Ayyanar, a form of Lord Shiva, washed with milk and decked with flowers by the priest. Shortly after, the village reverberated with a boom of firecrackers as people held up posters of Harris and clapped their hands.
Harris is set to make history as the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to hold the vice presidency. What makes her achievement special in this village is her Indian heritage.
Harris’ grandfather was born in Thulasendrapuram more than 100 years ago. Many decades later, he moved to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state. Harris’ late mother was also born in India, before moving to the U.S. to study at the University of California. She married a Jamaican man, and they named their daughter Kamala, a Sanskrit word for “lotus flower.”
In several speeches, Harris has often spoken about her roots and how she was guided by the values of her Indian-born grandfather and mother.
So when Joe Biden and Harris triumphed in the U.S. election last November, Thulasendrapuram became the center of attention in entire India. Local politicians flocked to the village and young children carrying placards with photos of Harris ran along the dusty roads.
Then and now, villagers set off firecrackers and distributed sweets and flowers as a religious offering.
Posters and banners of Harris from November still adorn walls in the village and many hope she ascends to the presidency in 2024. Biden has skirted questions about whether he will seek reelection or retire.
“For the next four years, if she supports India, she will be the president,” said G Manikandan, who has followed Harris politically and whose shop proudly displays a wall calendar with pictures of Biden and Harris.
On Tuesday, an organization that promotes vegetarianism sent food packets for the village children as gifts to celebrate Harris’ success.
In the capital New Delhi, there has been both excitement — and some concern — over Harris’ ascend to the vice presidency.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invested in President Donald Trump, who visited India in February last year. Modi’s many Hindu nationalist supporters also were upset with Harris when she expressed concern about Kashmir, the disputed Muslim-majority region whose statehood India’s government revoked last year.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/01/20/indian-village-cheers-for-harris-before-swearing-in-as-us-vp/
Trump's farewell speech
Trump ‘furious’ so many celebrities performing for Biden inauguration
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-biden-inauguration-furious-celebrities-b1789192.html
Can Biden's inauguration be kept safe?
When President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Wednesday, he’ll take the oath of office while standing on the very steps that were overrun by a violent mob of Trump supporters just two weeks earlier. Right-wing extremists online are plotting ways to repeat their assault on the U.S. Capitol, potentially on a much larger — and far more deadly — scale.
Concerns over another insurrectionist attack have led to a substantial increase in security precautions ahead of the inauguration — an event that already has a massive security footprint in a typical year. A 7-foot-tall fence topped with razor wire has been erected around the Capitol. The area around the National Mall will be locked down in the days leading up to the event. More than 20,000 National Guard troops have been brought to Washington D.C., giving the nation’s capital the appearance of a “war zone.”
Despite credible threats of another attack, Biden and the inaugural committee have no intention of canceling the outdoor ceremony. “I am not concerned about my safety, security, or the inauguration.” he said. Plans for Biden to lay a memorial wreath at Arlington National Cemetery after he’s sworn in are still on, as well. Security concerns did, however, prompt the president-elect to abandon plans to ride an Amtrak train to his inauguration.
Why there’s debate
Even with the extraordinary level of security that will be in place for the inauguration, some still fear it may not be enough. Government forces will certainly have the firepower to hold off an extremist militia, but the failure of Capitol Police to prevent a violent pro-Trump mob from overrunning the building last week has raised questions over whether communication and logistical blunders might once again leave lawmakers at risk. Others worry that some members of the security teams may secretly support the insurrectionists' agenda.
While the risks of extremists actually disrupting the ceremony are incredibly small, it’s unwise to create even a tiny chance that it may happen, some argue. There are also concerns that a failed attack, even one that is stamped out easily, would become the lasting memory of Biden’s inauguration.
Many security experts argue that fears of a repeat of the violent assault on Congress are exaggerated. The security measures that will be in place for the inauguration — planned across a variety of government agencies — dwarf the comparatively small Capitol Police force that was overrun last week.
On top of stepped-up security, Biden’s decision to significantly strip down inaugural events makes this year’s ceremony even easier to secure than a typical inauguration, experts say. Others argue that it’s important to send the message that extremists won’t be allowed to interfere with the rituals of American democracy. "I think we cannot yield to those who would try and make us afraid of who we are," Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said.
Perspectives
Security at the inauguration will simply be massive
“To compare the security footprint of even a ‘normal’ inauguration to what was in place ahead of the violence in the Capitol on Jan. 6 … would be to underestimate the sheer scale of an event like the inauguration and the confidence of Washington in at least some of its own systems.” — Ruby Cramer, Buzzfeed News
There’s no reason to provide insurgents with a target
“The Secret Service and the military take the lead for security during the inauguration, and they won’t let rebels storm the Capitol a second time. But a public ceremony still gives the mob a target for its ire, and that imperils local residents, everyday visitors and Biden supporters who might also be in town.” — Michele L. Norris, Washington Post
Coronavirus mitigation measures double as security measures
“Biden’s team was already planning a scaled-back inauguration because of the coronavirus and has encouraged his supporters not to attend the ceremony in-person. … That might make for an easier security situation—officers won’t have to worry about bad actors in a crowd of hundreds of thousands or more people, as in the past.” — Cameron Joseph, Vice
Security forces have shown they can’t be trusted
“Law enforcement is spoiled. It is compromised. I do not question its capability to defend the government from armed attack by a rabble of white people—I question its commitment to do so.” — Elie Mystal, The Nation
Social media crackdowns have made it hard for extremists to plan an assault
“Calls for armed marches in the week leading up to the inauguration have been circulating, but the digital chaos of the past few days has made organization less clear. ... While committed followers have found refuge in many alternative platforms, including Gab, Clouthub, Telegram, and others, a coordinated movement for action has not yet emerged.” — Jen Golbeck, Wired
Even an attack that was easily thwarted would be a victory for extremists
“We’re capable of securing the inauguration from any threat of any magnitude. … What I’m concerned about, it seems to me if the inauguration is outside we end up with the likelihood of a provocation … that will be humiliating and embarrassing globally.” — Retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, MSNBC
Canceling the inauguration would mean letting the extremists win
“The images of thousands of armed soldiers patrolling the streets of our capital are jarring, even heartbreaking. But the show of force is necessary in the wake of the insurrection in the halls of Congress. There are legitimate concerns that the threat is far from over. The nation and the world need to see the free and fair election of Biden accepted and recognized without further disruption or violence.” — Editorial, Houston Chronicle
Pageantry shouldn't take priority over safety
“If it’s safest to inaugurate Biden and Harris in an underground cavern, let’s do that. Safety has to come first.” — NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss
Other targets, like state capitols, are much more vulnerable to attack
“We will not see a major incident. They will lock down the Capitol. If there’s anybody in the pipeline right now preparing an attack at a state capitol ... you’ve got an FBI that’s absolutely loaded with case leads right now.” — Security expert Clint Watts to The Hill
https://news.yahoo.com/can-bidens-inauguration-be-kept-safe-220839215.html
Newsflash: The White House will be renamed......Kamala Villas!
One final party for Trump perhaps? :P
It remains be seen if Joe Biden can steer a current dis-United States back on course.